


bilingual

by floatingaway4



Category: Red White & Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston
Genre: Alex dancing in public, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:27:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27659480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/floatingaway4/pseuds/floatingaway4
Summary: Alex isn't answering his texts, so Henry goes home to investigate.
Relationships: Alex Claremont-Diaz/Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor
Comments: 31
Kudos: 160





	bilingual

Henry opens the door to their house and is met by a wall of sound so loud he takes a step back. Alex is home, obviously. Henry listens for a moment as he takes his shoes and coat off. The singers want to see someone’s “Tootsie Roll,” which Henry would bet is not referring to that disgusting little not-quite-chocolate, waxy candy the Americans so efficiently disperse on Halloween. 

He bounces up the steps to their shared office and stops to lean in the doorway. He finds Alex at his desk, fingers flying over his laptop keyboard, body subtly moving to the beat. Henry’s fairly sure Alex never heard their alarm system beep or saw the security notification on his phone. The song fades out a few seconds later and Henry is not proud of what he does next. 

“You know,” he says into the sudden quiet, causing Alex to jump a mile into the air and contort his body into a pretzel as he turns toward the door, “burglars could come in here and steal everything we own and you’d have no idea.” 

“Jesus fuck, babe!” Alex says, one hand on his chest while he waits for his heart to stop exploding out of his chest. 

Henry laughs and strides over to drop several kisses on his boyfriend’s head. “When you’re old and deaf, I’m going to say mean things about you.”

Alex rolls his eyes. “We’ll just communicate with hand gestures.” 

Henry flicks a V, and Alex reaches out to fold Henry’s index finger down. “You live here now, babe, you have to flip me off like an American.” 

“No, we do that one too, but ...so awkward, though, just the one finger,” Henry says, examining his own hand. 

Alex clicks on something on his laptop before he closes it. Another song starts but Alex taps his phone to turn it off. He jumps up to kiss Henry. “What are you doing home early?” 

“Well, everything is under control at the shelter,” he explains, running one hand lovingly down Alex’s arm. “And you have not answered any of the 14 or so texts I’ve sent you today.” Alex starts to whirl around to look at his phone but Henry holds his arm. “Which made me think you'd either run off with another prince," he grins, "or you were working too hard.” He leans in for a quick kiss to muffle whatever excuse Alex is about to blurt out. “So I came home to force you to take a break.” 

Henry can see the wheels turning, as Alex tries to come up with a good excuse for his work habits and fails. He finally goes for a suggestive leer. “What are we gonna do on this break, sweetheart?” 

Henry smiles and tugs at Alex’s hand, giving Alex his best seductive look. He drops his voice a register and speaks slowly, ensuring Alex will focus on whatever he says next. He tilts Alex's chin up with one finger. “We are going to go for a walk, in the sunlight and fresh air.” He ignores Alex’s look of disappointment. “You remember those things, don’t you, dear?” 

Alex looks like he's about to negotiate, but sees something in Henry's eyes that makes him give in. “Uuuggghhh, fiiine.” He pulls a thin hoodie over his t-shirt and lets Henry drag him downstairs. 

Henry clicks David’s leash to his collar and together the three of them stroll down the sidewalk. Henry’s free arm is wrapped around Alex’s shoulders. Every now and then, Alex reaches up to cover the hand resting there. They do their best to ignore the occasional photographer and the random strangers blatantly holding up cell phones. 

“Now repeat after me,” Henry lectures him, in a serious tone. “I will take better care of myself.” 

“I’ll take better care of myself,” Alex repeats, reluctantly. 

“Because my boyfriend loves me and worries about me.” 

“Because…” Alex sighs and reaches up to squeeze Henry’s hand, leans his head onto Henry’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, baby.” 

Henry clears his throat, and Alex looks up at him through his eyelashes. He pops an eyebrow at Alex, who repeats, “Because my boyfriend loves me and worries about me.” 

They stop while David sniffs at a particularly interesting tree growing out of the sidewalk. “And my boyfriend is clearly a genius and I’ll do whatever he says,” Henry adds with a mischievous grin. 

Alex laughs, then looks at Henry with exaggerated confusion. “I’m sorry, what was that?” 

“You heard me.” Henry glares at him, but there’s no heat in it, only adoration. 

Alex’s eyes sparkle. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand your accent.” 

“Wanker.” 

_“Chinga te_ ,” Alex responds with a smile. He laughs again and reaches up for a kiss. They start walking again, and Alex starts singing “Tootsie Roll.” He stops in the middle of the sidewalk for a spontaneous dance break. Henry watches him move, so alive and quicksilver and fluid, and he’s suddenly very glad he left work early. 

When a picture of that exact moment gets posted online, Henry only feels a tiny bit of shame as he prints it out and tacks it to his office bulletin board. The photographer managed to capture Alex’s bright, manic energy, Henry’s besotted expression, and David’s curious head-tilt, all in one tiny snapshot of their lives. 

The next Halloween, he takes the wrapper off one of those pieces of candy and attaches it to the corner of the photo. He throws the candy in the trash. Alex definitely gave him a healthy appreciation of the song, but the candy is still disgusting. 

**Author's Note:**

> This is what happens when I turn on the 90s channel on SiriusXM. 
> 
> Also, Henry is just channeling my feelings about Tootsie Rolls. They are only acceptable as candy if there are truly no other options. 
> 
> And for anyone afraid of googling it, the Spanish phrase is slang for f*** you. I imagine Alex taught Henry that one very early in their relationship.


End file.
